Notable Books of 2018

Once again a rich year in reading with many enjoyable, entertaining, and informative books. The following names a few that had some significant impact for me.

1. An Irish Country Practice – Patrick Taylor. This book is just the latest in a series of books (I think there are 14) with the title “An Irish Country ____”. Think “All creatures great and small” but taking place in Ireland and doctoring humans, not animals. A calm soothing read but quite satisfying – lots of medical information re symptoms and treatments that most lay people would easily understand.
2. The Stranger In The Woods - Michael Finkel. (sub title “The Last True Hermit”). a remarkable tale of survival and solitude--the true story of a man who lived alone in a tent in the Maine woods, never talking to another person and surviving by stealing supplies from nearby cabins for twenty-seven years. It also delves into the history of  isolationists (hermits, anchorites, people who just like to be alone) throughout history and continuing today. A fascinating subject I had never given any thought to.
3. The Day The World Came To Town - Jim DeFede. The non fiction account of the thousands of arrivals in Newfoundland on 911. Fascinating, funny, and moving account of people at their finest at the worst of times.
4. The Midnight Line – Lee Child. The latest of the Jack Reacher novels, and as always a well told and intriguing story. But that is not why I put it on this list – it is for the sensitive portrayal of addiction, specifically opiods – and a glimpse into the life of an addict.
5. Painted Horses –Malcolm Brooks. This one qualifies as my “find of the year”. I picked it up to fill the gap between my last book and the arrival of my next reserved book. A simple western. Not! A beautifully written book that defies genre, and is most definitely worth the read.
6.  Sebastian St. Cyr Regency Mysteries – C.S.Harris. 13 books in this series of murder mysteries taking place in Regency England. A most interesting look at the politics, mores, class system, and general life of this period. Read one and likely get hooked.
7. The Death and Life of Strother Purcell – Ian Weir. I don’t know what to say about this book except that I liked it very much. You need to read the many reviews and book descriptions available on the internet to see if it attracts your interest. Definitely quirky!
8. Whiskey When We’re Dry – John Larison. I will let this review stand as the way I feel about this book - "A thunderclap of originality, here is a fresh voice and fresh take on one of the oldest stories we tell about ourselves as Americans and Westerners. It's riveting in all the right ways -- a damn good read that stayed with me long after closing the covers." - Timothy Egan, New York Times bestselling
9. The Reckoning – John Grisham. I found the book difficult to read in places because of the terrible circumstances – The Bataan Death March for example. Still, the story, the places, the times left an impact on me that will last for a long time.